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Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan (born April 17, 1964http://www.spin.com/articles/i-puscifer) is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Marine Corps in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids. He moved to Los Angeles, California in 1988 to pursue a career in interior design and set construction. He formed the band Tool with Adam Jones shortly thereafter. Keenan is best known as the lead singer of the multi-platinum rock bands Tool and A Perfect Circle with whom he has released four and two studio albums, respectively. In 2003 he created Puscifer as a side project, financing and releasing its first studio album in October 2007. Since rising to fame, Keenan has been a noted recluse, although he does emerge to support charitable causes. In addition to his music career, he has performed improvisational stand-up comedy and ventured into acting. He is the current owner of Merkin Vineyards and the associated winery, Caduceus Cellars, and has part ownership of Stronghold Vineyards, all located in Arizona, where he lives. Among other business ventures, he is a partner in the Los Angeles restaurant Cobras & Matadors, and owns a produce market and an organic market in Cornville, Arizona, the latter featuring a tasting room for his wines as well as a food court. Early life James Keenan was born in Ravenna, Ohio, on April 17, 1964, the only child of Judith Marie and Michael Loren Keenan. He was born into a Baptist family. When his parents divorced in 1968, his father, a high school teacher, moved to Michigan and Keenan would only see him about once a year for the next 12 years. His mother remarried, bringing Keenan into an "intolerant and unworldly household," where his intelligence and creative expression would be stifled.http://www.spin.com/articles/i-puscifer When Keenan was 11, his mother suffered a paralyzing cerebral aneurysm, which would later serve as the inspiration for many of his creative works.http://www.spin.com/articles/i-puscifer A few years later, she persuaded Keenan to live with his father in Michigan. Keenan considers this "the best move he ever made."http://www.spin.com/articles/i-puscifer Inspired by Bill Murray's performance in the 1981 comedy film Stripes, Keenan joined the United States Marine Corps, with the intention of having the G.I. Bill fund his dream of attending art school.http://www.spin.com/articles/i-puscifer By this point, he had lived in Ohio, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.http://toolshed.down.net/bio/maynardbio.php He initially served in the Marine Corps, but was known as being so mentally distinguished that he was given the chance to study at the United States Military Academy Preparatory School (West Point Prep School) from 1983 to 1984. In addition to completing a rigorous math and English curriculum, he ran on the cross country team and sang in the glee club.http://toolshed.down.net/bio/maynardbio.php It was during his time in the military that he adopted the sobriquet "Maynard" on a whim.http://www.mtv.com/bands/a/a_perfect_circle/news_feature_040122/?_requestid=110669 He was distinguished in basic and advanced training,5 but declined an appointment to West Point and instead chose to pursue a music career because of his disillusionment with his colleagues' values and because he knew West Point would not tolerate his dissidence.http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041031/news_1a31varga.html Upon completing his term of enlistment, he studied art at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 1988, he relocated to Los Angeles where his love of animals led him to practice interior design for pet stores, before he was quickly fired and began working in set construction.http://www.avclub.com/articles/maynard-james-keenan,14038/ During the 1980s, Keenan played bass guitar for TexA.N.S. and sang for Children of the Anachronistic Dynasty, both independent bands.http://toolshed.down.net/bio/maynardbio.php References Category:Tool Band Members Category:Puscifer Band Members Category:A Perfect Circle Band Members Category:Personnel